Diversity of Cultivated Brinjal Variety and their Susceptibility to Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. in North 24-Parganas, West Bengal

Brinjal or eggplant (Solanum melongena L., Family: Solanaceae) is an important vegetable crop of sub-tropics and tropics. In West Bengal, it is one of the most common, popular and principal vegetable crops grown throughout the state. It is a versatile crop adapted to different agro-climatic regions and can be grown throughout the year. It is a perennial crop but grown commercially as an annual crop. A number of cultivars are grown in West Bengal, consumer preference being dependent upon fruit color, size and shape. This crop is affected by various pests and diseases. One of the most important lepidopteran insect pests is Leucinodes orbonalis Guen. (shoot and fruit borer).

An intensive survey was conducted in various cultivated fields of brinjal in North 24-Parganas district of Weat Bengal for different locally cultivated variety of brinjal and their susceptibility to Leucinodes orbonalis to find out the relationship of fruit variety with the susceptibility against that insect. Near about eleven varieties were recorded. Phenotypic characters of fruit, such as, fruit color, fruit shape, fruit size, fruit texture, number of fruit per plant and susceptibility to Leucinodes orbonalis were noted. Some of the important varieties cultivated in this district are Muktakeshi, Bhangor, Makra and Kaloshaola. Makra variety is less susceptible to the borer, L. orbonalis in comparison to other cultivated varieties in this zone.